Moving to Hawaii – Or Bust!

I got this email the other day and I haven’t had time to respond yet. Here it is below, and my response. I keep it all anonymous. If you see your email here and want your name and contact information associated with it – just let me know and I’ll add it to the article.

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Hi Vern!

Let me start by saying I have watched your moving to Hawaii vids and read your articles. Actually watching them kinda gives me the feeling like we are old buddies. I appreciate you doing them and I will be buying your book soon.

Here is my question…

A few months ago a good friend of mine approached me and said he wanted to move to Hawaii and would I be interested in going as well. I am totally for it. The problem is he is on disability and gets a check every month. I, however, am not and will have to get a job.

Like you, I am in IT (also was in the Air Force). I have an A+ cert, plus an MCP. I can easily get a NET+ and SEC+ if I need to. I also make paracord bracelets and necklaces as a hobby and sell them on the side as well as fix computers on the side pretty cheap. I doubt just doing side work while job hunting will pay the bills though, if at all.

He wants to move to Hilo on the Big Island. The cost of living is more manageable and he being a former chef can shop at their farmers market and create a feast on a budget.

Looking at Craigslist, the IT pickins are pretty slim in Hilo. I have always been able to fall back on something like call center work if nothing else panned out, but I am a bit afraid the move to Hilo may be disastrous for me job wise. We are definitely moving beginning of 2016 and I will have between 5 and 10k in savings. I would just hate to blow it all in a place I have no hope of getting a job.

What is your opinion? Should I talk him into moving to Honolulu first and then move to Hilo after I find work there? OR basically can you give me any advice?

I would sure appreciate it,

Any advice or opinion you can give me would be awesome.

Keep up the good work buddy!! Thanks!

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Hi “Sam”,

I have watched a few of your updates on Youtube, and it seems like you’re coming up with the same idea I would be relating to you… Moving directly to the Big Island is going to be tough. Not for the move, but for the job.

I would strongly suggest you move to Oahu first. It’s a great place to give you a taste of Hawaii, immerse you in it really, and give you some idea what Big Island living might be like.

The real problem is that once you go to Big Island it will be all or nothing. You’ve already dipped into your savings and won’t be able to move to Oahu and regroup, then move back when you find a job on Big Island or one of the other islands.

Move to Oahu and make more money there, save, and then move over if you have a chance. If not, Oahu is not a bad place to be!

I see now you’re moving to Vegas… and maybe moving to Hawaii between Feb and April. Honolulu – great. Good idea! (listening to your video blogs as I write this…)

Nobody really commutes between islands. I flew from Maui to Oahu a lot for projects, but nothing like a daily commute. Too far, too expensive for flights!

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I’ve lived Hawaii since the mid ‘80s when I moved here at the age of 21. I arrived site-unseen in Honolulu with zero contacts and about $5k in savings. I worked from nearly zero and today Hawaii has given me the greatest gifts in the world in all aspects: spiritually, financially, romantically (married since early ‘90s w/ 2 children), and most important, peace. My goal with this site is to share the magic of this Land of Aloha and help others who are on a similar quest.